Apparatus for cleaning lubricant cases of engines



' oct' 259 W. L. OSBVRNE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING LUBRICANT CASES OENGENES'4 F'i'led March 30, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l w @n f I e m Q R :D O

*j G CQ w I w f I m N N JY?! Get. 25, w. L. @SBQRNE 1,8849819 YAPPARATUS FOR CLEANING LUBRICANT CASES OF ENGINES Filed March 30, 1928 3Shets-Sheet E Oct. 25,' 1932. W, L, QSBORNE Lf884l9 APPARATUS FORCLANING LUBRICANT GASES 0F ENGINES Filed March 30, 1928 lSl'f.ecats-Sheetv 54 f' m Way@ Patented Oct. 25, 1932 l `UNITI-:D STATESPATENT OFFICE WILTJJIAM L. OSBORNE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNRT0 DSBGRNE PROCESS, y

INC., 0F LOS ANGELES, UALIFORNIA, A CORPORATIUN 0F GALFORNI .APPARATUSFOR GLEANING LUBRICANT CASES @E ENGINES Application led March tn, 1928.Serial Mo, tl,

This invention relates to improvements in a portable device for cleaninglubricant cases ot engines, and is more particularly adapted to thecleaning ot transmission and diderenl g, tial housings of motorvehicles, such as automobiles, motor trucks, and the like. llovvever,the invention is also adapted tor use in cleaning lubricant cases olengines generally, as tor example, motors ot trolley cars, Diesel inengines, boats, airplane origines and the lilre,

The objects and advantages ot the invention vvill hereinailter moreclearly appear 'trein the tollovving description, but broadly ispeaking, the purpose is to provide a portable .it device to eltectivelyand easily' cleanthe case containing the ylubricant together with themechanism enclosed in such case /To this end the invention is carriedout, tiret, by preterably draining ed the dirty oil or used lubri cantand then torcibly circulating a tlushing or cleaning oil through thecase and around the mechanism contained therein The device is not onlyrelatively compact l and le to manutacture, being devoid ot any meeranism orv parts liable to get out ot order, but is especiallycharacterized by the tacility vvith which it can be brought into lcommunication vvith, or detached trom, the 4 cranlr case or other partoil an automobile' or au other element to be speedily cleaned As afeature ot the present invention the device comprises generally astorage recep tacle, a pump, connections to and trom the pump and thestorage receptacle, and ltering means interposed in one oit theconnections trom the pump for tiltering the llushing or cleaning oilbetore it is returned to the lubricant containing case,n i

.ds another feature of the present invention the tiltering meanspreferably comprises separate filters, one designed to filter flushingoil trom a crank case and the other particularly designed to filter thecleaning oil used inthe cleaning of transmission and diderentialhousings.

.ln'the use of a device of the character described herein in thecleaning of crank cases, transmission and diHerential housings and thelike it developed that the greases used in transmission and differentialwork, especially dll Where greases are used vvhose bases are stillbottoms, produces an asphalt-like residue very similar to tar, vvhichhas no lubricating properties, will not flovv and is very sticlkyo lnusinga single lilter to filter the dushing f oil from the crank case andthe cleaning oil trom the diderential or transmission housing it vvastound that this sticky tar-lilre substance vvould adhere to the hlterbag and spread so4 as to clog that portion ot the bag and stop theltration ot the oil therethrough. ln addition, `when particles ot thissticlry tar-like substance got into the cranlr case, it tended to stopup the oil groovesu Theretore, it vvas necessary to-design a separate flilter tor Jtiltering oil used in cleaning transmission and differentialhousings which led to the designing ot the filter ot the present 'llomake the cleaning device universal in its use, ll have mounted tvvoseparate independently operated filters thereon, one tor lilter-f ingdushing oil used in cleaning cranlr cases and the other `lor litteringoil used in clean ing transmission and did'erential housings.,

'llo eliminate the necessity tor using and manipulating a number olcontrol valves in the use ot the device, l have devised improve ments,which torni the basis ot the present invention, comprising a singlevalve control to selectively direct liquid trom the pump through eitherot the two lilters or to storage, the proper manipulation to positionthe valve tor any given condition depending upon Whether it is desiredto pass used lubricating or used cleaning oil to storage or pass Hushingor cleaning oil to either iilter.

Among-the advantages ot the single valve control are that it makes thedevice fool proof, permitting unskilled Workmen to operate the devicewithout any chance of mislocating valve ports; single instead otmultiple control, resulting in economy and saving in cost, assembly,time, repair, replacement and labor in operation; convenience andcompactness., K

The single valve preferably takes the form of a liquid distributingvalve rather than a stop valve..

' In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view,partly in vertical sccvice of the present invention in the cleaning of acrank case or the differential and transmission housing of an engine.

g1g. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view, an

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device of the `present invention. f f

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, and

Fig. 5 is an end view, of the single control distributing valve.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional 7 -7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 6. j Fig. 9yis a cross-sectional view of the valve per se, taken on line 8--8 ofFig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the valve per se, taken on line 7-7of Fig. 6.

Referring more in detail to thevdrawings, 1 designates as a whole anenlarged drum storage tank which may be for instance 15 to 25'1nches indiameter and 25 to 40 inches in height, more or less, and of a capacityof, say to 35 gallons more or less, as may be deview taken on linesired. This drum may be provided with base wheels 2 and a support 3.Mounted exteriorly of the drum 1 is a bracket 4 on which may be mounteda pump 5, the latter having inlet 6 and discharge 7. A handle 8 may beprovided to manually operate the pump, or the pump lmay have connectionwith any means for permitting mechanical operation. The pump inlet 6 maybe arranged to have detachable engagement with a flexible conduit 9, thelatter being connected to a suitable drip-pan 10 in the mannerv shown.The pump outlet 7 may be suitably connected to a four-way distributingvalve 11, the latter communicating respectively with branch plpes 12, 13and 14, whereby upon selective manipulation of the valve 11 any of thebranches 12, 13 or 14:. may be connected with the discharge of the pump.

The branch f2 may communicate with a filter 15 which is especiallyadapted to filter from flushing media the heavy tar-like substancesremoved from transmission and differential housings and the like. Thepipe 13 may communicate with the drum 1 whereby liquids such as usedlubricants or used flushing or cleaning oil pumped by the pump 5 may bedirected to the storage drum 1. The pipe 14 may communicate with afilter 16 which may be especially adapted to filter from flushing m-ediathe foreign material removed from the crank case of the engine. Sincethe substances filtered out of the liquid by the filter 15 are derivedfrom grease and heavy oils said filter will hereinafter, for the sake ofconvenience, be referred to as grease filter 15 and since the substancesremovedV by the filter 16 are derived from motor oils the said filter 16will be hereinafter referre to as oil filter 16.

A crankcase is designated diagrammatically at 17 and is normallyprovided with a filling opening 18 and anoutlet or drain 19, the latterbeing normall closed by means of a plug (not shown). flexible hose 20 isadapted to have detachable engagement at one end with the discharge 21of the oil filter 1V6'wliile the other end is adapted to have removableengagement with the filling opening 18.

A transmission case is illustrated diagrammatically at 22 and isnormally provided with a filling opening 23 normally closed by means ofa plug 24 and an outlet or drain 25 normally closed by means of a plug26. A flexible hose 27 may have one end detachably connected to thedischarge 28 of the grease-filter 15 while the other end is adapted tobe detachably connected to the filler opening 23.

In the operation of the device in the cleaning of a crank case, thedrip-pan 10 is placed under the drain opening 19 and the plug (notshown) removed from the said opening permitting the used oil to draintherefrom into the drip pan. The pump handle 8 is then oscillated tocause the pump 5 to draw the used oil from the pan 10 through the hose 9and inlet 6, discharging it through the outlet 7, the distributing valve11 at this stage being so manipulated as to cause the oil to be d1-rected into the pipe 13 and thence into the drum 1 wherein it is stored.

After the used lubricating oil has been drained from the crank case 17and stored in the drum 1, a suitable quantity of flushing liquid, say 1to 2 gallons, more or less, maybe put into the drip pan 10. TheV valve11is now manipulated to connect the pump discharge 7 with the pipe 14leading to oil filter 16. The hose 20 is connected to the filler opening18 and the pump handle 8 is oscillated, causing the flushing oil to bedrawn from the drip pan 10, passed through the oil filter 16, anddischarged into the crank case 17, the flushing oil discharging throughthe drain 19 into the drip pan 10 from which it is drawn by the pump 5and again recycled through the oil filter 16 and crank case 17.

By continuing the operation of repeatedly filtering the fiushing oil andrepeatedly returning it to the crank case, the flushing oil willcontinueto be circulated, cleaning not only the crank case by reason ofthe agitation thereof, but removing all of the entrained dirt andforeign substances which later are then deposited in the oil filter 16.When the crank case has been sufhciently cleaned, the valve 11 may be soregulated as to connect the pump discharge 7 with the pipe 13 connected.with the drum 1. The handle 8 of the pump 5 is then oscillated to itransmissions, differentials and the like, the

all

.i be put kin the drip pan I and the operation may be as follows: Thedrip pan 10 is placed under the drain 25 and the plugs 24 and 26removed. The hose or conduit 27 is then engaged with the lling opening23 in a manner similar to the engagement of the hose with the crank case17. In the event the oil or grease within the transmission 22 is toothick or viscous to readily flow out of the drain a quantity of lightdistillate such as gasoline, kerosene or the like may Pump 5 manipulatedto cause the distillate to be circulated through the grease tilter 15and conduit 27 into the transmission case 22 and back into the drip pan10, thus the heavy oil or grease will be diluted or cut, whereby it willreadily tlow through the opening 25.

`When the bulk ot the grease in the transmission case 22 has beenremoved, the valve 11 is adjusted to connect the pump outlet 7 with theVpipe 13 whereby the pump 5 will cause the mixture of grease anddistillate to dow 'through the pipe 13 into the drum 1 wherein itisstored. l/Vhen all the above mixture has been stored in the drum 1.the valve 11 is manipulated to cause the pump discharge 7 to beconnected to the grease lter 15.

A fresh supply ot flushing medium, such as gasoline or the like, is putinto the drip pan'10 and the pump 5 caused to circulate i the samethrough the grease tilter 15 and hose 27, being discharged into thetransmission case 22. The dushing media discharges trom the transmissioncase 22 through the drain 25 into the drip pan 10 Jfrom which it isdrawn b v the pump 5 and again recycled "throughithe lter 15 andtransmission 22.

By continuing the operation of repeatedly liltering the flushing mediumand repeatedly returning it to the transmission case 22 the :tlushingmedium will continue to be circulated, cleaning not only thetransmission case by reason ot the agitation thereof. but removing allof the entrained dirt and foreign substances which are then deposited inthe grease lilter 15. lWhen the transmission case 22 has beensufliciently cleaned the valve 11 may be manipulated to connect the pumpoutlet 7 with the pipe 13 which is connected with the drum 1. The pump 5is then operated to cause the used flushing medium to be passed into thed'rum 1'for storage.

Other varied forms of operation may be readily performed, as will beapparent to those conversant with the art by manipulating the valve 11.Thus, for instance, a fresh supply of liushing medium may be used toclean the transmission case 22 after the above described operation, thevalve 11 llosing adjusted, if desired, to cause the flushi i ing mediumto be circulated through the oil filter 16.

A suitable nozzle may be attached to either of the conduits 20 or 27whereby the used oil or iiushing media may be sprayed upon the variousparts of Ythe chassis, such as springs, et cetera. K i

Describing now in detail the four-way distributing valve 11 asillustrated in Figs. 4 to 10: A suitable metallic casing 30 ma beprovided having an inlet 31 and outlets 32, 33 and 34. A. tapered hollowcore 35v having openingsv 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40 adapted to have a groundtit with the casing 39 may be provided. A D washer 41, a spring washer42, and a nut 43 adapted to have, threaded engagement with a portion 44ot the core may be employed to maintainthe core 35 in the casing 30.'llhe core 35 may be provided with a boss adapted to engage the handle11 (Figs. 1 and 2) wherebythe core 35 may be readily rotatedV within thecasing 30. yl`he openings 36, 37 and 38 in the core 35 may be separatedfrom the openings 39 and 40 by means ot a wall 46. llhe casing 43() maybe provided with openings 47 48 and 49 communicatingy respectively withoutlets 33 and 34 and inlet 31. A port 50 may communicate with the inlet31 and the portion 'of the j core 35 having the openings 39 and 40 and asimilar port 51 may communicate with the outlet 32 and the same portionof thev core 35.

rl`he openings 36, 37 38, 39 and 40 may be so arranged that when theopenings 39 and 40 register with the ports 50 and 51, none ot theopenings 36, 37 and 38 are in registration with the inlet 31, thus theliquid will how jfrom the inlet 31 through the port 50, the openings 39and 40, the port 51, and the outlet 32. lit' it is desirable to connectthe inlet 31 to they outlet 33 the core 35 may be rotated until theopening 36 registers with the opening 49, the opening 38 registeringwith the opening 47 and the opening 40 registering with the port 50, theopening 37 not registering with any of the openings 47, 48 or 49, andthe opening 39 not registering with either of the ports 50 or 51. Thus,the liquid will flow from the inlet 31 to the outlet 33. llt it isdesirable to connect the inlet 31 to the outlet 34 the core 35 may berotated until the opening 36 registers with the opening 48 and theopening 37 registers with opening 49, the opening 38 not registeringwith any of the openings and the openings 39 and 40 not registering witheither of the ports 50 or 51. Thus, the liquid will flow only from theinlet 31 to the outlet 34.

It will be apparent that, when the outlets 32, 33 and 34 are connectedto the pipes 12, 13 and 14, and the inlet 31 is connected to the pumpdischarge 7, the liquid discharged by the pump 5 may be passed throughthe desired branch. l

For the convenience of the operator, and' in order to insure correctmanipulation and adjustment of the valve in the hands of unskilledWorkmen, it may be desirable to label the different outlets asillustrated in Fig. 5.

5 The end of the flexible hose 20 may, if desired7 have a more or lesspermanent engagement With the outlet 21 of the iilter 16, in which casea second iiexible hose 27 can be provided having more or less permanentengagement with the outlet 28 of filter 15. Or, a single flexible hosemay be utilized for both iilters, in which event the hose will beprovided with means for engaging the outlets 221 and 28 of the filters16 and 15 in a detachable clamp-like engagement.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised a meritoriousimprovement to p be applied to portable flushing or cleaning devices.

I claim as my invention Aportable cleaning accessory for lubricantcontainers of engines comprising in combination, a storage receptacle, apump having inlet and outlet mounted thereon, separate independentlyoperable filters also mounted on said storage receptacle, branchescommunicating respectively between the pump outlet and each .of said`filters and With the storage 30 receptacle, and a single valve disposedin said pump outlet for regulating the passage of liquid from the pumpto a selected lter or to the storage receptacle.

In testimony whereof I ailx my signature.

WILLIAM L. OSBORNE.

